Athletic Trainer Jobs in Illinois

Athletic Trainer jobs in Illinois are consistently active, with strong demand across professional sports organizations, Division I university athletic departments, high school districts, and hospital-affiliated sports medicine clinics at every level from entry-level staff positions through senior director roles. Chicago, Peoria, and Champaign-Urbana are the largest hiring markets, anchored by established employers such as Northwestern Medicine, the Chicago Bears organization, and the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. The most in-demand specialties are sports rehabilitation, concussion management, and orthopedic clinical outreach. Find a role that fits below and apply directly.

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Overview

Open roles184+
Top employerVasa Fitness
Top cityChicago, IL
Cities hiring84
Work type98% On-site
Top industrySports

Showing 5 of 184+ Athletic Trainer jobs

D
Certified Personal Trainer
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D
New 8h ago
Certified Personal Trainer
Danny Gustin Fitness
Bolingbrook, Illinois
Communications
Content & Communications
Public Relations (PR)
$27.33 - $32.92/hr
On-Site

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YMCA
Group Fitness Instructor: Spin, Yoga, Zumba, Silver Sneakers
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YMCA
New 13h ago
Group Fitness Instructor: Spin, Yoga, Zumba, Silver Sneakers
YMCA
Schaumburg, Illinois
Healthcare Administration
Patient Services & Wellbeing
Physical Therapy
$23 - $28/hr
On-Site
CPR Certification
51-200

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YMCA
Group Fitness Instructor-Cycle Campanelli YMCA
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YMCA
New 13h ago
Group Fitness Instructor-Cycle Campanelli YMCA
YMCA
Schaumburg, Illinois
Healthcare Administration
Patient Services & Wellbeing
Physical Therapy
$20 - $22/hr
On-Site
CPR Certification
51-200

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Bloomingdale Park District
Group Exercise Instructor – Aqua Fitness
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Bloomingdale Park District
New 13h ago
Group Exercise Instructor – Aqua Fitness
Bloomingdale Park District
Bloomingdale, Illinois
Business Development
Growth Marketing
Marketing
$18 - $25/hr
On-Site
CPR Certification
11-50

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Life Time
Group Fitness Instructor
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Life Time
New 20h ago
Group Fitness Instructor
Life Time
Vernon Hills, Illinois
Community & Nonprofit Services
Creative Arts & Performance
Sports & Fitness
$45 - $80/hr
CPR Certification
10,000+

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See All 184+ Athletic Trainer Jobs in Illinois

Find roles in Illinois that match your experience and apply in just a few clicks.

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Athletic Trainer Jobs by City in Illinois

Where Illinois roles are concentrated, by current openings.

Chicago
27 jobs
Crystal Lake
7 jobs
Northbrook
6 jobs
Schaumburg
6 jobs
Evanston
5 jobs
Naperville
5 jobs
Joliet
4 jobs
Elmhurst
4 jobs
Champaign
4 jobs

Athletic Trainer Job Market in Illinois

A snapshot from current Illinois openings, updated as new roles post.

Who's Hiring

  • Vasa Fitness
    Vasa Fitness20
  • Life Time
    Life Time16
  • Anytime Fitness
    Anytime Fitness6
  • Athletico Physical Therapy
    Athletico Physical Therapy5
  • Crunch Fitness
    Crunch Fitness4

Top Industries Hiring

  • Sports & Recreation
  • Healthcare & Medical Services
  • Education

What Illinois Employers Look For

The qualifications that appear most often in athletic trainer jobs across Illinois.

  • Active Illinois athletic trainer license issued by the Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation
  • BOC certification (Board of Certification for the Athletic Trainer) in good standing
  • Bachelor's or master's degree from a CAATE-accredited athletic training program
  • Current CPR and AED certification required by most Illinois employers
  • Experience with electronic health record documentation and injury reporting systems
  • Strong communication skills for coordinating care with team physicians and coaching staff

Athletic Trainer Jobs in Illinois: Frequently Asked Questions

How do you become an athletic trainer in Illinois?

To work as an athletic trainer in Illinois, you must hold a state license issued by the Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation. Candidates must first earn a degree from a CAATE-accredited athletic training program, then pass the BOC certification exam. Once certified, you apply for the Illinois license through IDFPR. Renewals require continuing education hours to keep both the state license and BOC certification current.

How much do athletic trainers make in Illinois?

Athletic trainers in Illinois earn a median of about $64,750 a year, based on May 2025 Bureau of Labor Statistics wage data, ranging from around $49,240 for the lowest 10% to over $93,020 for the top 10%. Pay rises with experience, specialty, and employer.

Which companies hire athletic trainers in Illinois?

Employers hiring athletic trainers in Illinois right now include Vasa Fitness, Life Time, and Anytime Fitness, based on current listings on Migrate Mate as of August 2026. Illinois's mix of professional sports franchises, large hospital-affiliated sports medicine networks, and major public universities creates a broad and varied employer base that hires at multiple experience levels throughout the year.

Which Illinois cities have the most athletic trainer jobs?

Chicago, Crystal Lake, and Northbrook have the most athletic trainer openings in Illinois. Chicago dominates due to its professional sports teams, dense hospital systems, and large suburban school districts, while Peoria and Champaign-Urbana are driven by OSF HealthCare's sports medicine programs and the University of Illinois athletics infrastructure respectively.

Are there remote athletic trainer jobs in Illinois?

Yes, but they're rare. Athletic training is a hands-on, on-site role, so most positions require direct presence with athletes or patients. About 2% of athletic trainer openings tied to Illinois are remote or hybrid as of August 2026, and those tend to be administrative, telehealth consultation, or corporate wellness coordination roles rather than traditional clinical or sideline positions.

How can I get hired as an athletic trainer in Illinois with little or no experience?

The most realistic entry path is pursuing a graduate assistantship or clinical rotation with an Illinois university athletic department or hospital-affiliated sports medicine clinic. Large systems such as Northwestern Medicine and OSF HealthCare regularly bring on new graduates through structured clinical associate programs. Candidates with completed CAATE clinical hours, a BOC pass, and an active Illinois IDFPR license have the strongest standing, and adjacent roles such as physical therapy aide or strength and conditioning assistant can also open the door.

Where can I find and apply to athletic trainer jobs in Illinois?

You can find and apply to athletic trainer jobs in Illinois on Migrate Mate, which lists current Illinois openings across sports organizations, hospital systems, universities, and school districts. Find the roles that fit your experience and location, then apply directly to each employer through the listing.

See All 184+ Athletic Trainer Jobs in Illinois

Find roles in Illinois that match your experience and apply in just a few clicks.

Find Athletic Trainer Jobs